Effective Online Marketing Tool

Book Trailer: An Effective Promotional and Marketing Tool
By
Theresa Chaze



Book trailers are more than images set to music, nor do they just a recap of the book synopsis. In fact, they are an effect promotional tool that will create interest by going beyond the synopsis to the "heart of the book. Although, book trailers are considered promotional material, they are in reality an advertisement. The difference lies in the length and basic format.

Most book trailers are much longer than most conventional ads, running 1-5 minutes long, while currently most broadcast ad are 30 seconds. It would be too costly to run longer ads in prime time on the local or national level. Even well know writers such as Stephen King, only run 15 second national ads. They are quick in-out ad, which do little more than announce a new book However, book trailers are designed for the internet, where the venues are either free or low cost. Length is not a consideration; therefore, they can be more detailed both in content and style. The quality both in the writing and production can make the trailer an asset or a major liability. Being clever and unique can create a buzz about the trailer, which will in turn increase sales. However, if the trailer is merely random images set to music, it will make the author look amateurish.

The message has to do more than recap the synopsis. It has to be in itself a creative work that creates layers of interest. Whether as text or a voiceover, the message needs to tantalize the readers into buying the book. In the case of fiction, the trailer is a vignette with a beginning and middle, but the end is left hanging as a question. Its purpose is to introduce the lead characters and plot, while building up the conflict of the story, so that the readers will want to answer the question--what happens next? In non-fiction, most books have more of a targeted audience. The text will want not only to provide the author’s credentials, but also put forth her or his thesis, while hinting why it is different from ever other expert in the field. Both formats will want to provide reviews, ordering information, and run credits back to any person or site that provided resources for the trailer.


Multi-sensory devices such as videos, still pictures and voiceovers, all coordinated with music as the video trailer create layers of information that combine into a single effective ad. The video transitions and effects have to be appropriate for the message and match the audio portion of the piece. Both can create a sense of movement in still photographs, making them look more movie like. The availability of digit cameras makes adding live action shots easy and inexpensive. In addition, there are sites on the net that inexpensively offer video clips. There are also sites that music can be download for free, if they are given credit and a link back. The music needs to create a sense of the book beyond the words. It can add drama, intensity or humor depending the style of the music. It is just one more way to enhance the feel and add depth to the trailer.

By coordinating the whole package to roll out in a logical, concise format, the trailer becomes a thought provoking, interest creating marketing tool. However, if written and produced well, it doesn’t have to be elaborate or highly technical; sometimes the simple direct approach is the most effective, if done professionally and with creative thought.

I have produced the following trailers not no only for my books, but for others authors as well. I am available for hire by emailing: Tirgana (at) yahoo (dot) com.

Book Trailer/Book Video Producer Available

To watch the video go to


The newest tool in a authors, publishers and public relations firms' tool box is the book video also known as the book trailer. It is an expensive yet very effective way to promote books online. To learn more about book promotion and book videos, go to www.theresachaze.com



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The Reflection in the Mirror--How we treat others reflects our self esteem

The Reflection in the Mirror
By
Theresa Chaze


Self-esteem like water seeks to reach the same level. It is why people who like themselves, attempt to raise others up with praise and positive feedback, while those who dislike themselves do their best to tear others down. It is this dynamic that causes both stress and healing in the world.
Those who live life with a positive attitude find it easier to meet life’s challenges. The bumps in the road don't jostle them as much. Nor do they feel the need to control or manipulate others because they feel powerful within themselves. This doesn’t mean they are always happy or don‘t loose their temper, but they are more able to right themselves during emotional storms. Since they love and respect themselves, they are more able see life as an endless supply of possibilities. It is this vision of hope that they project to others not only in their words but also in their deeds. They are more able to help others without strings or condescension, because helping others is a gift they give to themselves, which not only aids the other person but also increases their own self-esteem.
On the other end of the spectrum, those who don't like themselves carry around a dark cloud around their head. Every incident in their life becomes a major crisis. However, it's not the outer world that is the source of their chaos; the anarchy radiates from the individual. Only they refuse to see it; instead, they blame their problems in their life on others or society as a whole. They don’t feel worthy of others’ love so they don‘t respect or trust those who care about them. It is this mind set what causes them to criticize and emotionally batter others. When they make others feel bad, they get a strange sense of satisfaction and a false sense of superiority. For a brief moment, they have positive self-image. Only the feeling of control never lasts, because the power is an illusion as is the positive self-worth. The only person an individual can truly control is themselves. Only this type of person refuses to look within to find the source of their pain. Instead of sharing hope with others, they spread doubt, fear and anger. It is all they have inside. They never realize that their behavior attacks their self-esteem, making them feel worse in the long run.
How we treat others is a reflection of how we feel about ourselves. Every day we chose to be a blessing or a curse in our own lives. Positive actions and thoughts increase our self-esteem; however, deliberately harming others lowers our self-esteem and attacks our ability to meet life’s challenges.

Comment on the Virtual Book Tours and be entered to win free books

Virtual book tours with Pump Up Your Book Promotion continues! All authors on tour in December will be giving away FREE copies of their books to a few lucky people who comment on their blog stops. Winners will be announced at www.virtualbooktour sforauthors. blogspot. com on December 31!

The following authors on tour and their tour stops today are:

Angela Benson, author of the christian fiction novel, THE AMEN SISTERS (Walk Worthy Press/Grand Central Publishing, Nov. ‘07), will be stopping off at Girls Write Out!

Theresa Chaze, author of the magical fantasy novel, AWAKENING THE DRAGON (Valkyrie Publishing), will be stopping off at Dude, Where’s My Muse?

Holly Fretwell, author of the nonfiction children’s book, THE SKY’S NOT FALLING (Kids Ahead Publishing), will be stopping off at Fictionscribe!


Jean Hackensmith and Kathe Birch, authors of the time travel romance, THE ULTIMATE PASSAGE (Port Town Publishing, Sept. ‘07) will be stopping off at TWL Author Talks!

Roberta Isleib, author of the psychological mystery murder novel, PREACHING TO THE CORPSE (Berkley Prime, Dec. ‘07) will be stopping off at Beyond the Books!


Jim Melvin, author of book one of the DEATH WIZARD CHRONICLES epic fantasy series, THE PIT (Rain Publishing, Sept. ‘07) will be stopping off at Leicester Review of Books!

Sydney Molare, author of the christian fiction novel, DEVIL’S ORCHESTRA (Fishbowl International) will be stopping off at Author Talks!


Marilyn Celeste Morris, author of the non-fiction self-help book, DIAGNOSIS: LUPUS (Publish America) will be stopping off at The Book Connection!


Cat Muldoon, author of the fantasy novel, RUE THE DAY (Wings Press, May ‘07) will be stopping off at The Story Behind the Books!



Nelson Pahl, author of the romanticfiction, BEE BALMS & BURGUNDY (Cafe Reverie Press, Sept. ‘07) will be stopping off at Buzz the Book!



All authors will be giving away free copies of their books to a few lucky readers who comment on their blog stops. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to win free books!

These virtual book tours are brought to you by Pump Up Your Book Promotion at www.pumpupyourbookp romotion. com.



PUMP UP YOUR BOOK PROMOTION VIRTUAL BOOK TOURS
"Leave your tour in our hands!"
www.pumpupyourbookp romotion. com

Not Just Another Book of Shadows: A Wiccan Priestess Shares What She Has Learned

Not Just Another Book Of Shadows: A Wiccan Priestess Shares What she has learned.


With all the published Book of Shadows out there, many of which are authored by famous Wiccans and Pagans, why should anyone buy my ebook of shadows, Out of the Shadows and Into the Light? I'm not famous--at least not yet. I don't belong to a coven or church. The training I've had hasn't been structured or formal; I didn't go into a classroom to be taught by Lord or Lady High Priestess or Priest. None of this was around when I started down the path. Back in the late 70's and early 80's, there weren't occult bookstores, at least not where I grew up. If you were lucky you could find books on Astrology--what you sun sign meant, but not much more. Books on magic taught you tricks. Witches were evil. Pagans were backward and ignorant. If you were clever, you found books on Spiritualism. Nor did my family have a long history of casting spells and stirring cauldrons, so I can't lay claim to a long magical heritage. I was raise Catholic, which in a way prepared me for doing rituals

That is what I didn't have. What I did have was so much more than could be found in books or with title honored teachers. There are so many things that can't be taught with words or demonstrations in a classroom; it can only be found by practical experience and good old fashion hard work.

On both sides of my parentage, there were abilities. My grandmother was not only able to sense the dead, but frequently see them. She also had a way of knowing with out knowing how she knew, which helped know when to play the lottery. Although, she never won big, she won frequently. Unfortunately, her Christian heritage kept her from understanding and training her gift. When she saw the other side, it frequently frightened her. Her sister, Edith had a natural intuitiveness about people. She could read them like no other, but she also didn’t understand her talent. Instead, she used alcohol to suppress her impressions. There were family rumors about their mother, but back then, children were never included in the discussions about the weirdness in the family. My grandmother would say, “little pictures have big ears.” Sometimes at night, I would pretend to be asleep so that I could listen; unfortunately, it didn’t take too long for me to stop pretending and I missed out on a lot. My mother knew how to communicate with animals and instinctively knew they needed to be healed. We had two puppies that contracted parvo that the vet had given up on. She brought them home and proved him wrong. She had a knack of seeing into other’s lives. Once she described to a woman her entire house down to the color of the walls in her bedroom; the woman’s reaction prevented her from ever doing it again. They were Christian, yet they were also spiritually gifted in ways that they didn't understand therefore never gained control over their abilities.

When I was about five, I told my grandmother’s neighbor, Kate, that I saw fairies in her garden. She took me into her kitchen and poured water into an old bowl and put candlestick in the center. She lit the candle and had me watch the flame as she talked to me. Decades later I remembered in a dream how she shut down that part of my natural gifts. When I was ready, not only did the memory come back but the ability as well. Kate was a very spiritual woman, who went to church every morning at 6 am. Her faith was an active part in her life, yet she still knew how to reach the earth spirits. Although her age kept her from doing much work, her gardens were always lush and her grapevine remained fertile in spite of its age. Her home was old and run down. She was one of the last people in town to install indoor plumbing. The only source of heat for the large two story home was a wood stove in the kitchen, yet it was always warm. Her house was unique. It was two story, but the upper level could be reached both from the inside and out. The wooden stairs led to a porch and then the entrance. She had board it up, keeping whatever was in on the inside and keeping the rest of us out. When she died, so did her gardens and the house seem to collapse into itself.

Growing up, I felt safer and more at home in woods than anywhere else. My grandmother's boyfriend had an 80 acre farm. I would spend hours wandering by myself, knowing that nothing could harm me while I was among the trees. It was the place I where I was the most connected. Just before the swamp, there was a natural circular field with a single tree in the center. It was a was the place I went to hide and think.

Just out of high school, my friend, Kim and her father, Bobby taught me channeling. Kim, another friend, Lynne and myself spent the summer walking between worlds. To say we were obsessive would be an understatement. We became very good at allowing the Goddesses and Gods to speak through us and they helped us open the spiritual doors within us. We were young and felt immortal, which made us fearless of the unknown and the consequences of our actions. It was a spiritual summer that changed all of us, especially me. That fall the three of us parted ways. I wandered through life for almost a year. What I had experienced made me question everything that I had been taught. I was very confused, so I did a lot of drinking and partying to stop the thinking.

In 1977, I started community college before going on to Michigan State University. By moving away, I was able to start releasing the old negative beliefs about not only myself but also the world beyond. I started doing more research and join the Metaphysical Society that met on the MSU campus. Through this group I met a beautiful soul could have very well been an incarnated angel; Mary was an older woman, who was not only wise but also very loving. Her nurturing heart helped me have faith in my abilities. She helped me open the doors that Kate had closed. We studied Eastern philosophies, kabala, and energy healing. It was also the time I picked up my first Tarot deck and started to use them to focus my intuition. The summer of 1981 when I officially initiated, my dragon spirit awakened and reentered by soul. It was a time of great awareness and challenge. What I had received what had I asked for, but it was more than what I was emotionally prepared to deal with. It took me several years to regain balance.

That all happened before the mid eighties. It was years ahead of the spiritual awakening that was to come for others. The late 80's and the 90's when the spiritual awakenings began in mass, I had already gone through the karmic test of air, fire and had started the emotional test of water. I had learned how focus my energy into healing through Reiki and became disciplined enough to control my other gifts. When I gained control over myself, I was able to reawaken memories from the lives before, which brought forward past lessons and gave me access to old talents.

All that I have experience has given me a unique perspective not only on life, but also gave me the ability to see how we are all interconnected. None of us are really alone. Like pieces of a puzzle, we all have our own unique shape and image, but we are also part of one big picture. Out of the Shadows and Into the Light is more than a book of spells and rituals; it contains what I have learned along the way. When we lack something in our life, whether it be love, prosperity or security, the sources is always an emotional or spiritual wound. By healing the injury, the path to healing opens and you will be able to find what you seek. Oprah once said there are two emotions, love and fear. I have gone one step further by adding--if you come from fear, you can never have love; however, if you come from love, you will never lack for it. By healing ourselves, we open our hearts and souls to that which we desire the most. It is this perspective that make Out of the Shadows and Into the Light different than other Book of Shadows. It is a 114 page full color ebook with information on healing, love, prosperity and protection. There are also sections on Dragon Magic and Justice Rituals. In addition, there are articles on Kundalini, the elements and manifesting. The download costs 5.00 through paypal and is only available on my site at www.theresachaze.com.

The Longer I Live With Lupus--The Less I Understand It

The Longer I Live With Lupus--

The Less I Understand It.

Marilyn Celeste Morris

Lupus is a debilitating and life-threatening disease that causes the immune system to go awry and attack the body's own cells and organs, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain. Its heath consequences can include heart attacks, strokes, seizures, organ failure, disability, and premature death. Approximately 1.5 million Americans, and at least five million people around the world, have a form of lupus.

Now, you would think after having been diagnosed with SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus) since 1988 and dealing with it on a daily basis, I would be accustomed to its quirks.

That would be the way of most chronic diseases, you know. Most diseases have a predictable course, and meds are pretty standard, and the person knows pretty much what to expect.

Not so with lupus. Each person is affected differently. I know one woman who absolutely denies that she has lupus, even though she takes anti-seizure medications, because she doesn’t want to lose her job. She attended lupus support group meetings only briefly several years ago and has since lapsed into her “lurk” mode. I know of another person whose first and only symptom was that her kidneys quit functioning. No early warning signs, no great fatigue, joint aches, etc. – just sudden kidney failure. She took another approach from the friend with seizures: she learned to make her own bread without salt, everything she brought into her house was salt free, and she followed her doctor’s instructions to the letter. She’s better, now.

However, I can’t say for certain that either of those women will remain symptom – free. Or where the disease will strike next. Because it will. Definitely, it will strike again. My own lupus is snoozing, right this minute, but it may wake grumpy and hell-bent on rampaging through my body seeking a new, untested area. Or it may return to its old familiar haunts, that of my joints and lungs.
I was reminded once again of its quirks at a lupus symposium held last week at the University of Texas, Dallas campus. Of about one hundred persons there, I can safely say, none of us had exactly the same experiences at the same time. Several were newly diagnosed, bewildered by the suddenness of their illness, and the shock of knowing there is no cure and treatment varies in each individual.

Most of us, however, rely on the tried-and-true use of steroids (to reduce the swelling of joints) and Plaquenil, an anti-malerial that was discovered quite by accident to have a remitting effect on lupus activity. However, the use of steroids causes extreme weight gain with a “moon-face” effect, thus causing yet another crushing blow to the patient, and taking Plaquenil requires a yearly visit to the ophthalmologist to ensure vision is retained. As I succinctly summed it up after my initial diagnosis and given a prescription for Plaquenil with the caution that I might lose my eyesight: “Oh, I get it. I can either hurt or go blind?”
There are days I still feel that way – conflicted and afflicted. Conflicted about the treatment for lupus, and afflicted by its limitations on me for that day. And yet, I have learned to rely on those last two words as gospel truth: “That day.” It won’t last forever. Whatever is going on inside my body will not last forever. It will either get better, get worse, go away for a while, or I can learn to live with it, one day at a time.

At this point I must relate the experience I perceived of one person in the audience of lupus patients. Although she had been diagnosed at 11 years of age, and she is now in her mid-twenties, she is still seeking answers. How long will this last? Will I keep getting sick with the same symptoms? How can I file for disability when they tell me I’m not sick enough?

We on the panel and in the audience attempted to answer her questions, but it soon began to dawn on me that she wasn’t willing to listen to our answers.
She wanted attention. For her own particular set of symptoms, for that day. And we were not set up tot deal with one individual’s case history at the expense of others. I began to realize that since the age of 11, she had been playing “Victim.” And she had no idea she was doing that. Yet in her baby-sized voice, and her singsong questions, she was reverting to childhood. Soon some of us “old timers” began exchanging knowing looks, and the moderator began somewhat unsuccessfully to cut off her incessant questions. Yet how could we squelch someone’s quest for answers? After all, isn’t that what we were there for?

Yes and no. Yes, we could provide her with the information that we are all affected differently at different times. And no, we couldn’t recommend any one treatment that she hasn’t already had and she needed to ask her own doctors. In an age where we can pull up an answer to almost any question in the universe by using a Google search, medicine cannot give certain answers to an uncertain disease. And that’s a shame.

I know now what I should have told her. (Don’t you just love it when you leave an argument or a situation where you think, “I should have said…..?) I was told early on by a very frustrated doctor who told me I “might” have lupus. “You will find that lupus is a do-it-yourself- disease. You will have to become your own best physician.”

Our fifteen minute office visit is over. Pay on the way out, please.
The Lupus Foundation of America is the nation's leading nonprofit voluntary health organization dedicated to lupus. The LFA has a dual mission: to provide support and services to all people affected by lupus, and to fund research to find the causes of and cure for lupus. The LFA has a nationwide network of nearly 300 chapters, branches and support groups. Visit www.lupus.org or call toll-free 1-888-38-LUPUS (1-888-385-8787) for more information.






Marilyn Celeste Morris, Author
Sabbath's Room: http://www/SabbathsRoom.blogspot.com/
Once a Brat: http://www.onceabratbookblog.blogspot.com/;
Diagnosis: Lupus: The Intimate Journal of a Lupus Patient http://www.TheLadyWithLupus.blogspot.com/
Coming Soon: A New Novel: The Women of Camp Sobingo - http://www.thewomenofcampsobingo.blogspot.com/

The Truth About Wicca And Paganism

The Truth About Wicca and Paganism.

Although the term Wicca is a relatively recent term, the religious practices along with Paganism have been around long before Jesus walked on the face of the earth. It is a religion and a way of living that is based on the life cycles of the planet as a way of protecting and providing for the family. The holidays focus on the growing seasons and on the phases of the moon. Their rituals use the natural energy of the earth in all its forms to heal, feed and cloth.

Whether a person identifies themselves as Wiccan, Witch or Pagan, their religion is based on traditions that reach back to a time when humans toiled the soil and hunted for food. Their survival depended on the kindness of the elements, the fertility of the soil, and the luck of the hunt. Through family traditions and experimentation, they learned how to use natural means to provide for and to protect the family. Most people today, do not grow their own food or hunt in the forest, instead they work jobs and forage in supermarkets. This doesn’t change the essential nature of their goals, which is to live well and in balance with nature. By working in harmony with the natural energy, which surrounds them, they can bring balance, peace and prosperity into their lives.

Through experimentation, they have learned how to heal with plants, healing touches and with other resources the planet provides. Through trial and error, they learned which plants heal and which ones do harm. This knowledge has been passed down from generation to generation, each one adding a little more to the total information base. They also have discovered that some gemstones have influence the over all physical and emotional health. By placing them in specific combinations on different parts of the body, they can strengthen the immune system and help release emotional or physical traumas. These healing methods help the person direct the universal energy to not only cleanse but also restore balance on the physical and spiritual levels. In addition, by taping into the planetary electrical system, which is typically called ley lines, they are able to increase their access to higher energy levels and older wisdom.

It was this knowledge that made them targets of people who feared their “power”. Generally, they are a positive, loving force in the universe, who only wish to live in peace and leave the earth a little better place. However, there remains the misconception of who or what they worship. Devils or Satan are a not part of their religion, nor are they an anti-force to other religions. Yet they remain targets for violence and discrimination. Whether it be a hanged witch Chicopee, Mass being called a Halloween decoration or the Veteran’s Administration having to be sued to honor a legally recognized religious symbol, Wiccans and Pagans still have to fight for their civil liberties. Whereas as an empty hanging noose caused national outcry and outrage, the representation of a witch being hanged has received only mockery and snide remarks. Although Wicca is a legally recognized religion, the VA had to be forced to approve the pentacle even they had approved over 30 symbols, including many Christian sects, Tenrikyo Church, United Moravian Church and Sikhs. The atheists even have their own approved symbol.

The simple facts are that even with more legitimate information being available in books, movies and on TV, negative propaganda continues to spread lies, fanaticism, and religious intolerance. Without knowing who or what Wiccans and Pagans truly believe and do, religious fanatics label them as evil and do deliberate harm by trying to take away their children, homes and jobs. However, like every religion there are good and bad members. The key is to get accurate information before attaching labels and making judgments.

Out of the Shadows And Into the Light is an ebook of shadows with accurate information about the belief systems and rituals for the modern day life. Not only does it give details about holidays, but how to set up an altar and make holy water. The rituals that are included are not only the traditional ones for prosperity, protection and love, but also ones for healing and justice. This Wiccan book of wisdom can only be bought at the authors website at www.theresachaze.com.

Messages From the Universe October 2007-A Free Ezine

Here is the October issue of Messages From the Universe. Sorry it was late. As always you are welcome to share the ezine as a whole, but the articles remain the property of the authors.



In this Issue, we have articles by:



Cate Cavanagh

Roberta Shaler

Phoenix Roseflame

Laurie Cabot

Reverend Marci Drewry

as well as many others.



The link is below. You may have to cut and paste it into your browser.



http://us.share.geocities.com/tirgana/messageOct2007.pdf

Magical Fantasy Novel for Those Who Want Real Magic Instead of the Make Believe of Harry Potter

Be Careful What you Wish For--A Tarot Card Of Miracles

Be Careful What you Wish For
By
Theresa Chaze


If you were given one wish, what would you wish for? There was a TV ad that showed individuals using the one wish a genie gave them to manifest a pack of gum. Instead of seeking their hearts desire, they asked for something trivial. How many times a day do we do the same thing in varying degrees; we make wishes that would not be for our best and highest good or would actually harm someone else. If we were fore warned that one of our wishes would come true, only we wouldn’t be told which one, would that change our thinking process?
The nine of cups is also know as the wish card. It is a two edged sword that warns that one of our wishes will be granted; however, you never know when or what wish will be heard. Positive and negative wishes carry equal weigh in the eyes of the Divine. Whatever we focus our attention on is what we will create. When we wish for love, success or health, we must make sure that it doesn’t do harm to another. By trying to usurp their free will, we only create negative consequences for ourselves. However, when we wish a blessing be sent to another, it not only creates a miracle in the other person’s life, but opens the door for our dreams to be answered as well. The nine of cups also gives the warning that a wish could lead to heartbreak, disappointment or a long delay before a hearts desire is achieved. Wishes made while frightened, sad or angry can lead us have harmful yearnings. When others hurt us, it is a knee jerk reaction to wish the same on them. Although there are safe guards in place, visualizing the same wish repeatedly or with our whole soul, energizes it enough so that it can to over ride those protections. Yet if we quickly follow the harmful wish with one that is forgiving and loving, the negative effects are neutralized.
The nine of cups also represents the nine muses, the Goddesses of inspiration and creativity; therefore, it heralds a time of revelation and ingenuity. As the triple Goddesses are tripled, it foreshadows success and material gains, but also gives the warning to be wary of selfishness and greed. Being the most feminine card in the deck, it is connected to the Moon and to the Hermit cards as it speaks to the heart’s desires and inner dreams. It tells that your dreams have already manifested in your heart so that it won’t be long before they appear in your reality.

Free e-zine: Messages From the Universe

Free e-zine: Messages From the Universe
Spiritual and Emotional Healing


Here is the September 2007 issue of Messages from the Universe. As always it contains the monthly energy reading. In addition there are articles by Cate Cavanagh, Revenerd Marci Drewry and several other gues writers.

As always you are welcome to share the ezine with others; however, the individual article remain the property of the authors

Here is the address. You may have to cut and paste it into your browers.

http://us.share.geocities.com/tirgana/messageSept07.pdf


To insure you receive Messages of the Universe every month, please go to
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MessagesFromtheUniverse/
to join this free egroup.

Fantasy Writing Markets listings

Fantasy Writing Markets listings



Title Absolute Magnitude
Description Quarterly science fiction magazine. Does not use fantasy, horror, satire, or funny science fiction. Pays up to $0.06 per word. No queries. Manuscripts accepted via regular mail only, marked clearly for Absolute Magnitude. "We’re looking for character-driven action/adventure based technical Science Fiction stories from 1,000-25,000 words; 3,000 to 8,000 words are best." First English serial rights upon pub; rights revert to author after pub.
Web site http://www.dnapublications.com/absmag/index.htm
Guidelines http://www.dnapublications.com/info/guide.htm
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Albedo One
Description 2 Post Road, Lusk, Co. Dublin, Ireland. Contact: Bob Nielsen, Editor. Email: bobn@albedo1.com Ireland’s longest-running and foremost magazine for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. The magazine seeks thoughtful, well written fiction from both Irish and international authors. Their definition of what constitutes SF, horror and fantasy is extremely broad and they are especially seeking material which pushes at the boundaries. First published in 1993, ‘Albedo One’ has carried work by Ian McDonald, Anne McCaffrey, Norman Spinrad and Patricia Anthony. Length: between 2,500 and 8,000 words. Submissions: All submissions should be typewritten, on A4 paper, double-spaced, using one side of the paper and leaving at least 1 inch margins all around. Also accepts e-mail submissions with text in the body of e-mail only. No attachments. Send e-mail submissions to: bobn@yellowbrickroad.ie . All hard-copy submissions must be accompanied by a SAE or reply coupon. Usually accepts only previously unpublished stories, does not accept simultaneous submissions. Also seeks artwork for stories. Response: 2 - 4 months. Pay: A best-of-issue-award. The story voted best in issue by the readers is paid 100 euro. Guidelines: http://homepage.eircom.net/~albedo1/html/writers_guidelines.html
Web site http://homepage.eircom.net/~albedo1/
Guidelines http://homepage.eircom.net/~albedo1/html/writers_guidelines.html
Country Ireland
Region Europe
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title AlienSkin
Description Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Horror. Bimonthly. Accepts 9 to12 Featured Fiction pieces per issue. Pays 1/2 cent per word for First Electronic Rights.
Web site http://www.alienskinmag.com
Guidelines http://www.alienskinmag.com/ssubguide2.htm
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Allegory Magazine
Description An on-line magazine, principally of science fiction, fantasy and horror. However, will consider other genres, such as humour or general interest provided the work possesses an original, quirky slant. Particularly seeks stories with strong characters, good plotting and clever, logical twists to the end. Also accepts book reviews, and non-fiction articles on virtually any topic that concerns the art or business of writing. Length: Not stated for fiction. Maximum 2,000 words for non-fiction, and 200 words for reviews. No simultaneous or multiple submissions. Response: 4-6 weeks. Pay: USD15 per story or non-fiction article. No payment for reviews. Rights: First world rights and world reprint rights.
Web site http://www.allegoryezine.com
Guidelines http://www.allegoryezine.com/submissions.htm
Country UK
Region Europe
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Aoife’s Kiss
Description Publishes short stories and poetry and art and articles and book and movie reviews in the following genres: fantasy, science fiction, horror, and sword & sorcery. Quarterly magazine. Pays 1/4 cent per word, with a $5.00 minimum.
Web site http://www.samsdotpublishing.com/aoife/cover.htm
Guidelines http://www.samsdotpublishing.com/aoife/AKguidelines.htm
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Aurealis
Description Australian fantasy and science fiction magazine. Pays $20 to $60 per 1,000 words.
Web site http://www.aurealis.com.au
Guidelines http://www.aurealis.com.au/submissions.php
Country Australia
Region Australasia
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Ballista
Description A new short fiction magazine seeking original tales exploring the realm of the supernatural, paranormal, horror, Gothick, psychological, occult & macabre. Will also consider SF, dark fantasy or, “... just the downright bizarre”. Published twice a year in Spring and Autumn. Welcomes UK and international writers. No simultaneous submissions. Length: Maximum 3,500 words. There is no minimum. "Flash fiction" is also considered. Pay: GBP5 per story, plus one complimentary copy. Overseas payment by PayPal.
Web site http://www.mucusart.co.uk/ballista.htm
Guidelines http://www.mucusart.co.uk/ballistasubsinfo.htm
Country UK
Region Europe
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Bullet
Description A 160-page, perfect bound magazine describing itself as, “... the ONLY place for rock ‘n roll noir.” Defines ‘rock ‘n roll noir’ as an attitude to life which can be about anything and is not restricted to music. Suggests that authors, “... mix the energy of rock'n'roll with noir stylings, insights and attributes.” However, although will accept manuscripts on a broad range of subjects, does not want fantasy, sci-fi, illustrations or horror. Length: Up to 8,000 words. Payment by individual negotiation (plus a free Bullet T-shirt).
Web site http://www.rocknrollnoir.com
Guidelines http://www.rocknrollnoir.com/submissions.htm
Country UK
Region Europe
Pay PAY
Payscale UNSP

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Title Challenging Destiny
Description A quarterly magazine that publishes new science fiction and fantasy short stories. A Canadian magazine, but publishes authors from all over the world. Pays $0.01 per word.
Web site http://www.challengingdestiny.com
Guidelines http://www.challengingdestiny.com/guidelines/index.htm
Country Canada
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Circlet Press
Description Publishes high quality erotic literature, often specializing in fantasy and science fiction themes. Pay rates vary but average payment is $30 to $75 per story.
Web site http://www.circlet.com
Guidelines http://www.circlet.com/GL1997.html
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale UNSP


Title Feral Fiction.
Description Publishes horror, fantasy, science fiction and cross-over tales of up to 3,000 words. Pays $0.05 per word. Also poetry, $1.00 per line.
Web site http://www.feralfiction.com
Guidelines http://www.feralfiction.com/submit.htm
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Fifth Di, The
Description Fiction must be science fiction or fantasy, no horror, no exceptions. Looking for stories up to 7,500 words. Pays $5 per story or poem.
Web site http://www.samsdotpublishing.com/fifth/cover.htm
Guidelines http://www.samsdotpublishing.com/fifth/guidelines.htm
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title KidVisions
Description Online magazine for younger readers which features short stories, poems, and art, as well as brief essays on science and the environment, interviews, quizzes, contests, etc. Genres include fantasy, science fiction, and mild horror. Pays $1.
Web site http://www.samsdotpublishing.com/kids/kissescover.htm
Guidelines http://www.samsdotpublishing.com/kids/KKguidelines.htm
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Leading Edge
Description A semi-professional magazine dedicated to the presentation of new and upcoming talent. Accepts science fiction and fantasy short stories, novelettes, novellas, and poetry, as well as scholarly articles, book reviews, and interviews that deal with current popular authors. Fiction payment is 1 (one) cent per word, $10.00 minimum, plus two contributor copies. Poetry pays $10.00 for first 1 to 4 pages, $1.50 for each subsequent page, plus two contributor copies.
Web site http://www.leadingedgemagazine.com
Guidelines http://www.leadingedgemagazine.com/guidelines_writer.php
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Mythic Delirium
Description Mythic Delirium uses SF, fantasy, horror and cross-genre poetry. Pays $10 for longer poems.
Web site http://www.dnapublications.com/delirium/index.htm
Guidelines http://www.dnapublications.com/info/guide.htm
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title New Concepts Publishing
Description Publisher looking for Science Fiction/Futuristic or Fantasy Romance, spicy or erotic, any story length, from short stories to full length.
Web site http://www.newconceptspublishing.com
Guidelines http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/submissionguidelines.htm
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale UNSP

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Title On Spec
Description The Canadian magazine of the fantastic. Publishes speculative fiction (SF) and poetry -- fantasy, horror, ghost stories, fairy stories, magic realism, etc. Author's nationality does not matter, although they maintain 80% Canadian content. Pays up to $180 upon acceptance.
Web site http://www.onspec.ca
Guidelines http://www.onspec.ca/guidelines.php
Country Canada
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Playgirl
Description Playgirl addresses the needs, interests, and desires of women 18 years of age and older. Provides an uninhibited approach to exploring sexuality and fantasy. Erotic Encounters, the erotic fiction department, publishes four fantasies each month (800-1200 words, pays $50). Feature articles include interviews with top celebrities, articles on sex, love, romance and dating, how to features, and erotic fantasies.
Web site http://www.playgirltv.com/magazine/index.html
Guidelines http://www.playgirltv.com/magazine/guidelines.html
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale HI

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Title Savage Kick, The
Description A quarterly literary magazine. Seeks brutally honest feelings or stories that have to be told. Does not want mainstream or ‘Oprah-style’ fiction, nor genre fiction including horror, fantasy, sci-fi, western, erotica. Also publishes articles and interviews in relation to the writers featured in their online reading list. Encourages new writers, but receives many submissions from experienced ones, so competition is tough. Length: Stories: 1,000-6,000 words. Articles: up to 3,000 words. Response: Two weeks. Pay: GBP20 or USD35 for each accepted story. GBP15 or USD25 for each accepted article. Payment by PayPal preferred.
Web site http://www.murderslim.com/savagekick.html
Guidelines http://www.murderslim.com/sksubmissions.html
Country UK
Region Europe
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Scifiction
Description Looking for literate, strongly plotted science fiction and fantasy stories between 2,000 and 17,500 words. Payment is $0.20 per word up to $3,500.
Web site http://www.scifi.com
Guidelines http://www.scifi.com/scifiction/submit.html
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale MED

Title Scribal Tales
Description An ezine for short stories in the fantasy, science fiction, horror and hybrid genre. Pays $1.00 per thousand words with a 10,000-word limit and a minimum of 1000 words.
Web site http://www.scribaltales.com
Guidelines http://www.scribaltales.com/submissions.html
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Shadowed Realms
Description Australia's professional speculative fiction publication, Seeking dark, psychological speculative fiction - including horror, dark/urban fantasy, supernatural/occult, slipstream, thrillers and mysteries. Alsos consider science fiction, fantasy, action, crime and erotica. Content geared toward an Australian audience (including New Zealand and Oceania). Preference is given to locally produced works. Pays $0.05 per word for flash stories.
Web site http://www.shadowedrealms.com.au
Guidelines http://www.shadowedrealms.com.au/guidelines/
Country Australia
Region Australasia
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Specusphere, The
Description The specusphere emerged out of Visions magazine (September 2001 – April 2005). Publishes feature articles, opinions, reports, reviews of any kind, flash fiction, poetry and art. Encompasses all the traditional science fiction, fantasy and horror sub-genres and more. Non-paying.
Web site http://www.specusphere.com
Guidelines http://www.specusphere.com/files/submissions.asp
Country Australia
Region Australasia
Pay NO
Payscale NO

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Title Spinetingler
Description Publishes stories that could be categorized as mystery, thriller, suspense, supernatural, ghost story, love, fantasy or science fiction. Pays $10 USD .
Web site http://www.spinetinglermag.com
Guidelines http://www.spinetinglermag.com/submission.htm
Country Canada
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Strange Horizons
Description Wants good speculative fiction. It should have a clear fantasy or science fiction element, or at least strong speculative-fiction sensibilities. Pays $0.05 per word, with a minimum $50.
Web site http://www.strangehorizons.com
Guidelines http://www.strangehorizons.com/guidelines/fiction.shtml
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Tales of the Talisman
Description (Formerly Hadrosaur Tales) A literary journal published quarterly by Hadrosaur Productions and LBF Books. The format is an 86-page, perfect-bound, printed magazine. Needs: Science Fiction, fantasy, and horror short stories to 6000 words and poems to 50 lines. Pays: $10 per story, $4 per poem
Web site http://www.zianet.com/hadrosaur/index.html
Guidelines http://www.zianet.com/hadrosaur/gl.html
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Third Alternative, The
Description Publishes modern science fiction, fantasy and horror, as well as borderline material which uses genre elements with a relatively mainstream sensibility. Pays on acceptance.
Web site http://www.ttapress.com/publTTA.html
Guidelines http://www.ttapress.com/publTTAguides.html
Country UK
Region Europe
Pay PAY
Payscale UNSP

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Title Weird Tales
Description Must have some fantasy content. Pays up to $0.06 per word.
Web site http://www.dnapublications.com/wt/index.htm
Guidelines http://www.dnapublications.com/info/guide.htm
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title Zahir
Description A tri-annual print journal dedicated to publishing the best in speculative fiction by both new and established writers. Each issue features an eclectic mix of literary fantasy, science fiction, magical realism, and stories that are not so easily classified. Prefers original material but will consider reprints. No simultaneous or multiple submissions. Length: up to 6000 words. Pay: $10 plus 2 copies.
Web site http://www.zahirtales.com
Guidelines http://www.zahirtales.com/guidelines.html
Country USA
Region North America
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

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Title ZONE, The
Description Science fiction, fantasy, horror & mystery website. Publishes science fiction articles, interviews, & reviews. Previously unpublished work is preferred, but considers writings published anywhere in world. Pays £5 or $5 per 1,000 words for articles. There is no payment for reviews, short articles or essays, listings or artwork.
Web site http://www.zone-sf.com
Guidelines http://freespace.virgin.net/pigasus.press/guidelines.html
Country UK
Region Europe
Pay PAY
Payscale LOW

Cleansing of the Aura
By
Theresa Chaze

There are times when everyone encounters negative or unproductive situations that leave traces on our auras. It can lead to illness or depression. By cleansing you aura, you release or banish negative energy and others’ energy sucking attachments. This ritual can be done as often as necessary.

What you will need:

Half a cup of sea salt
Half a cup of baking soda
A bath tub
Your favorite relaxing music
Your favorite incense
A white candle
A black candle
Time alone

At a time when you won’t be interrupted for about thirty minutes, cast your circle of protection around the bathroom; you can darken the room if you feel comfortable doing so. Use water as hot as you can tolerate and fill the tub, adding the sea salt and baking soda. Turn on your favorite music and light the incense. Keeping the candles handy in a safe place, step into the tub. Light the black candle, saying:

“I freely release all negativity on all levels to the Spirit of the Earth to be transmuted into a positive influence that will help myself and others grow in knowledge and wisdom.”

Visualize the light of the flame surrounding you, turning the negativity around you to ciders and nullifying its effectiveness. Submerge, allowing the water to cover you. With today’s smaller tubs, you may have to do this in stages. Light the white candle and visualize it transmuting the water to brilliant white light, saying:

“I ask that on all levels my life be filled with light, love, and wisdom so that negativity will be unable to touch me in a lasting way. May I find the patience to see the beauty in others in spite of how they present themselves. Grant me the wisdom to forgive myself and others for challenges that were not met successfully, knowing that they well again be presented. I ask that my life be filled with all that is for my best and highest good.”

Submerge again, after which relax in the tub, allowing the heat and the mood to relax you. Stay in the water until it starts to cool, approximately twenty to thirty minutes. During this time, visualize the remaining ash being washed away and being transmuted into particles of white light. When the water starts to cool, , step out of the tub and say a prayer of gratitude for the healing. Visualize the water going down the drain as white light restoring the earth and replenishing all who it touches. Release your circle.

No matter how careful you may be, there will be times when you simply cannot avoid negative situations or people. By keeping a regular cleansing routine, you will be able to limit the chaos others are able to create in your life. However, it's not always strangers who do the send us the most negativity. Frequently, it is the people we love who are the source of the energy sucking attachments. If you are experiencing a reoccurring energy drain, if might be beneficial to seek a psychic councilor who is experienced with not only sensing energy attachments, but who is capable of helping your resolve the situation in a loving way.

Owning Our Mistakes
By
Theresa Chaze


There is such a stigmata attached to making mistakes that many people are too afraid to own their errors in judgment. Everyone screws up. The key is what you do afterwards. Whether your actions were deliberate or accidental, you need to take responsibility for your behavior in order to make amends and to learn from the experience. The most valuable lessons in life will come from your failures, not from your successes; however, to deny your actions is to also deny the learning experience. There is an old saying--those that don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.


No one is perfect. Sometimes your decisions lead you to say or do things that you will regret. Afterwards, you afraid of admitting our errors because of the legal or social consequences. Sometimes it is simply the fear of disappointing a loved one that keeps us silent or forces us to lie. Yet by denying our actions, we only compound the blunder and add to the consequences. When we own our actions, we learn from them and are able to grow into a more responsible person. However, when we deny what we have done, we also deny the personal growth that would come from it and are more likely to repeat the misstep.


Yet the lesson is never complete until we make amends for the pain or embarrassment we cause others. It be as simple as an apology or as complex as financial compensation for pain and suffering. However, we can’t control if our apology will be accepted. In most cases, it will depend on how sincere it is and if the person was able to heal through the pain. Repetitive bad behavior only proves that you didn't learn from your past and discounts the creditability of you apology. There are just so many times you can say that you are sorry for the same mistake before people stop listening and withhold forgiveness.


Whether or not the act of contrition is accepted by the injured person, you need be open to the accepting the consequences of your actions. By stepping up to the plate, you not only prove you are ready to alter your behavior, but help the injured person heal.

Daily Show Reveals Truth about Obama and Iraq

Daily Show Reveals Truth about Obama and Iraq

YouTube video for a Magical Fantasy Novel









Rachael moves to Coyote Springs to follow her dream and build a home, instead she becomes a catalyst in exposing a murder and a target of a violent cult. Where Anne McCaffrey and Marion Zimmer Bradley left off and where Harry Potter was afraid to go, Theresa Chaze takes the reader into realms of magic, suspense and horror. Set in Northern Michigan,Awakening the Dragon is a magical novel set in modern times containing working rituals and true magic.

Free Fantasy Ebook: Sisters Mother Daughters-
The Complicated Relationships Between Women


By
Theresa Chaze

Valkyrie Publishing announces the release of the free ebook by Theresa Chaze, Sisters, Mothers, Daughters. Using the fantasy genre, the short stories explore the complicated and ever changing relationships between women. Other worlds, differing religions, and political view points come together as women explore themselves and their life’s path. Sometimes controversial, sometimes frightening this collection of short stories reveals the multi-dimensional spirit of the every changing woman.

Seize of honor is an other worldly tale of how Kelly O’Dell accidentally killed the children of the natives she is attempting to communicate with them to save her people. It was an accident. She never intended to harm anyone, but natives knew she was responsible. They laid the body of one of the children on her door step and pointed their finger at her. Her comrades didn’t understand why. Kelly knew but she lied. Even after the natives attacked, killing most of their party, she kept silent. She couldn’t tell them the truth. At best they would abandon her to the natives’ justice; at worse they would notify command when the rescue team arrived. Either way, she would be as dead; the only question would be is how long and how painful the end would be. To save herself and her people, she must find a way to restore her honor by making the natives understand it was only an accident.

Resa has died, yet her spirit did not move on. Knowing her birth family would attempt to steal her property from those she had gifted it to and inflict their beliefs on her, she refused to cross over. They had tried every legal means available, but this time, she was ready for them. The everything was iron clad. Her wishes would be obeyed; her sisters of spirit would insure her final desires would be followed down to the last detail. In It’s my Funeral, I’ll Disco If I Want, Resa has prearranged her own funeral according to her Wiccan beliefs. Caroline, her spirit guide to the Summerland and long time friend, arrives to escort her to the other side, only find that Resa refuses to leave until after her funeral. Instead she wants to watch as her frustrated birth family is forced to accept in death what they couldn’t accept about her in life.

Politically relevant and controversial, And Freedom For All, projects into the future what life will be like once the religious right has gained power over the United States. Laws are in acted and interpreted according to their Christian doctrine, leading to the over turn of Roe vs. Wade and to a great division between the states. Pregnant by a man who sees her more as possession than a partner, Daphne asks childhood friend, Melanie to help her to escape to a free state. To retain control over her own body, Daphne leaves nearly everything behind and flees for her freedom. Together they must avoid the Pre-born Police, who arrest women they believe are pregnant to prevent them from leaving the Christian controlled states. Three borders and hundreds of miles to cross stretch between them and freedom as they do their best to avoid detection and capture. As they escape, Melanie and Daphne become part of a movement that will once again divide the country.


These are only examples of the tales told in Sisters Mothers Daughters as women strive to understand themselves and each other. Each of these women must look to their own hearts and ask themselves--am I strong enough?

Sisters Mothers Daughters is available at www.theresachaze.com. In addition, there are excerpts of Theresa Chaze’s novels, Awakening the Dragon and Dragon Domain, and other short works. Valkyrie Publishing distributes a monthly spiritual ezine, Messages From the Universe and the ebook versions of both Ms Chaze’s novels.

Theresa Chaze has been described as the woman who plays with dragons, especially the dragons of the mind. She leads her readers to magical realms and others worlds. Her work is based on her philosophy that all peoples can live together in peace as long as we come from respect, not only for ourselves but those who follow different paths or beliefs. Her work has been compared to Marion Zimmer Bradley and Anne McCaffrey with an adult version of Harry Potter mixed in. Theresa Chaze's major works so far include the first two novels of the Dragon Clan Trilogy and a free fantasy ebook called, Sisters, Mother, Daughters. Her screenplay, Never Can Say Good-bye, is one of the 2006 winners of the Gloria Film Festival. She publishes an ezine called, Messages From the Universe, which is available on her site www.theresachaze.com.

Magical Fantasy Videos--Harry Potter, LOTR, Anne McCaffrey, Marion Zimmer Bradley
Video clips to amuse and excit your imagination.

Dragon Domain--Book Two of the Dragon Clan Trilogy (ISBN 1-58961-463-1) picks up the story a few months later as the Dragon Clan b Dragon Domain--Book Two of the Dragon Clan Trilogy (ISBN 1-58961-463-1) picks up the story a few months later as the Dragon Clan begins to reassemble at the safe haven Cheyenne has created on the Northern Michigan farm. Cheyenne was happy until an old love from Celeste's past appeared at their door. Rapidly the darkness of the night brought terror as sacrificial blood was shed. Cheyenne tried to warn her. Celeste refused to listen. She let him in. No one was safe from his darkness. Cheyenne called the dragons. They drove him back. Then they joined together in an old evil. Alone Cheyenne was barely able to defeated him, but now with Celeste's help and knowledge of all her weakness, how could she possibly stop them from stealing her very soul and all those she loves? (more)

What is a Family?

WHAT IS A FAMILY?
BY
THERESA CHAZE
What is a family? Is it a man, a woman and their children? Or is it something more than just blood ties of the traditional concept? Do adopted children qualify? Do stepparents? The current administration is trying to carve in stone their definitions of marriage and family by using their own narrow concept of life to turn back the clock and to limit under what condition people may bond together.
The changes began during WWII, when women were called to serve outside the home. Suddenly they learned they were so much more than daughters, wives and mothers. They could be independent individuals, capable of making their own decisions about their lives. Suddenly they had their own money and careers. They didn’t have to marry to survive. When the war ended, the soldiers returned to a budding new breed of women. One who was more independent and unwilling to accept the traditional, subservient role. This is when the clash of wills and violence began to increase.
Traditional families of the fifties were patriarchies. The man led and controlled the household. The wife and children were subservient to his wishes and demands. He alone made decisions and controlled the household resources. He alone had all the power. In this traditional concept of the family, women’s only roles were that of daughter, mother, housekeeper and sexual toy. The children were considered property of the father. Their futures were determined by his expectations. Sons followed in their father’s footsteps. Daughters were daughters until they became wives and the ownership was transferred from the father to the husband; thus the cycle continued. Husbands worked outside the home. Wives were the housekeepers and nursemaids. These were the times when the family secrets were kept. Abuse was the wife’s fault and responsibility. Child abuses and molestation wasn’t talked about; it just existed. How could it be a crime for the father to use his property any way he saw fit? If the wife was unhappy, give her a pill. If the children protested beat them into submission. Life was good for the male part of the population. Bad behavior was excused, “as boys will be boys”. Abuse, neglect, and abandonment were just accepted. For young women, life was not as rosy. Young women who got pregnant out of wed lock were either forced to quit school and marry or sent away in shame until the child was born after which it was ripped from her arms. Job opportunities were limited and low paying. Women were confined to jobs that were beneath men both in status and pay; those who tried to step out of their roles were harassed and condemned.
The sixties, seventies and eighties brought new freedoms not only educationally but also medically, socially, politically and intellectually. Education was not only promoted, but higher standards were expected. It was increasingly no longer acceptable to drop out. High school graduation became the standard. New opportunities were created for those who chose to work for them. Technology brought new kinds of jobs and more challenges to the old lifestyles. Medical advances in birth control allowed women to more fully control their bodies, giving them more financial and educational opportunities. In 1973, the legalization of abortions gave women the freedom to compete on equal grounds. The political climate started shifting from the “good ole boys’ club” having total control to a more balanced system, which included women and non-whites. No longer were white men in total control of their families or their job opportunities. Suddenly they had to compete for jobs with those they considered beneath them. It was not as easy for sons to be accepted for employment because their fathers. In addition, jobs themselves became more technical and less manual labor. The old reliable manufacturing jobs suddenly became higher skilled and harder to find. Integration brought new understandings and new conflicts between cultures. Traditional values and bigotries suddenly were being questioned. “Because I said so” or “that’s the way it’s always been done” were no longer acceptable answers. Those who chose to take advantage found more similarities than difference between cultures. Interracial relationships and marriages became not only legal but also acceptable.
The tradition family found itself being redefined to include stepparents and stepchildren as divorce became more prevalent. With the educational system and the job market opening to them, women were no longer forced to stay in unhealthy relationships. In addition, the legal and legislative systems recognized a woman’s right to control her sexual life. Husbands no longer had a right to sex on demand. Nor did a woman need to ask permission of her husband to attain birth control. On a professional level, women still were not achieving the same status economically as their male counter parts. However more women were stepping out of their complacent roles and demanding equality it the work place. Sexual harassment laws protected women from the old tactics used to keep them in their “proper place”. In addition, women no longer accepted the glass-ceiling place on them and started businesses of their own. Instead of being assets to the established companies, they became resourceful competitors.
The children of the sixties and seventies questioned more of the old values and beliefs. They found that many of their family teachings about religion, cultures and lifestyles to be incorrect or lacking. The more they learned, the more they vocally challenged the old guard. Refusing to accept the limitations of their parents, they broke away. Demonstrations became common in the sixties as the young adults refused to blindly accept war and segregation. Advancements in educational opportunities gave them income standards far beyond the past generations, making them more mobile and flexible in their lifestyles. Birth family ties were no longer their prime focus and the clan mentally of the previous generations began to die. Individuals could now explore their own desires sexually and spiritually. Alternative lifestyles which started as subcultures, rapidly grew into mainstream realities as the new generations fought for their independence.
The social upheaval of the sixties, which turned into the time of the individual of the seventies, blossomed into a reemergence of social acceptance of the eighties. More people challenged the taboos of the past and more of the old traditions fell by the wayside. Men found they no longer had total control either in their homes or in the job market. Suddenly they had to compete with women and non-whites for jobs and resources that had been their exclusive domain. No longer could they slide by on whom they knew to find work. Skills and education became the qualifying factors in who was hired. Those who refused to update their skills were phased out. Domestic violence became more prevalent as men fought to retain control. However the legal system had also begun to change, giving victims of abuse more rights and options. Spousal and child abusers started to be prosecuted to the full extent of the new laws. No longer could men hide behind the marriage licenses to protect them from the legal system as law enforcement found itself under scrutiny for its past blind eye to the violence in the home. No longer could officers walk away without finding themselves in legal troubles themselves. Child molestation became felonies with long prison terms instead of misdemeanors with short to no jail time. Through these three decades families and society in general became more accepting and equal to all its members.
The nineties and the turn of the century found the definition of family including many whom had been excluded. Marriage no longer defines the concept of family. Loving couples no longer have to make the relationship legal to live together and have children. In addition, medical advances have given more options about parenthood. More accurate birth control, abortion, and the “morning after pill” have given women control over their reproduction. In addition, it has become socially acceptable for couples to remain childfree. Advances in fertility treatments give women more options of motherhood. Women can be implanted with sperm, either from a loved one or from a donor, to create children they couldn‘t have had naturally. Men have also gained the legal option of hiring a surrogate mother to produce a child for them. Adoption laws were changed to include qualified single men and women. Single parent homes, including those created by divorce, have become the norm. Day care has become a growing industry to accommodate the new demand for childcare from working couples and single parent homes. No longer is the wife expected to give up her career opportunities for motherhood. Care of the children has become a joint responsibility of the parents as is providing for the family. Fathers are no longer just a provider and disciplinarian, but an active participant in their child’s life.
Economically more opportunities opened to the individual as cottage industries and small business have begun to grow. Where once the large companies controlled the economic growth of the country, now small, more specialized businesses compete for a larger of the economic pie. More individuals chose to be independent both financially and socially. By doing so, they no longer have to conform to the cookie cutter mentality of the big business. Being able to work off their personal strengths and talents, they have been able to utilize assets that continue to elude the inflexibility of big corporations. The continuing advancements in computers and communications have expanded the individual horizons beyond the clan mentality. No longer are individuals limited to their birth culture, country, or social status. The internet has opened a world of new experiences and ideas. Again the old status quo has been challenged and has fallen by the way side.
In spite of the fears and prejudices the more “traditional” groups promote, today’s society has and will continue to become more accepting of differences within individuals; in doing so, the country has gained more than it has lost. It is this diversity and ability to grow though change, which has kept this country strong. As women’s role in society has become more open and flexible, so has the men’s role as well. Jobs that were considered to be “women’s” are now being filled by men. Just as women have found their place in traditionally men’s jobs. The individual’s talents and desires determine which path to take, giving not only more personal satisfaction but a more positive out look on life. The old saying, “do what you love and the money will follow” has become a reality for those who are willing to do the work and take the chances. Although jobs in manufacturing have been on the decline, jobs in medical and scientific research have been making great strides. No longer can a high school diploma guarantee a good job. The educational bar has again been raised to the college or technical school level. Today a high school diploma is the equivalent of Jethro of Beverly Hillbillies bragging he graduated from the sixth grade. Only by being open new industries, staying strong educationally, using our resources wisely, and playing to the diverse talents of our people can this country remain a leader economically.
As in the financial arena, the definition of family and marriage has changed. No longer is the family limited. With the controversy over same sex marriage, the concept has been expanded to include all those who love each other and wish to make long term commitments. For decades, definition of marriage has been moving away from having children and having someone to grow old with to relationships built on mutual respect and love. The old concept of “death do ye part” only applies if the relationship remains strong and healthy. If the relationship dies, the marriage ends. No longer do people stay with partners who do not satisfy or bring out their best and highest good. Separation and divorce no longer have the old stigma attached. Nor do the old standards apply. Custody of children is shared or given to the person who would be the best parent whether it be the mother or father. Spousal and child support has an equal chance to be paid by the wife as by the husband as economic standards have become more balanced.
Although the ending of a marriage can be stressful on the children involved, it is not as detrimental as staying in a family situation where the parents do not get along and where respect is a foreign concept. It is better to separate and remain supportive to the children, than to stay together and do more harm than good. Children are savvier and more technologically aware than in any previous generation. Growing up with access to computers and other electronic gadgets in their daily lives, they walk into the school system with a broader understanding of what is possible and with a deeper understanding that the whole world is connected. Having access to diverse cultures, lifestyles and religions, give the modern child new perspectives and challenges what they are taught by their parents. The age-old child question of “why” is not only being asked but answers are also being demanded. They aren’t afraid to the ask the hard questions or to challenge authority figures. Respect and honor have to be earned not just given because of age. Parents who bank on the traditional family hierarchy are more likely to find their accounts with their children in a negative balance. Children have officially become people, deserving of respect.
But as much as the advancements have separated family members, it has also brought them back together. The Internet and new communication devices have brought families, who had been separated by physical distance, into direct communication. Where as in the seventies and eighties, the extended family disbursed, they are now coming back together via the new toys. People of all ages are looking for the lost pieces of themselves by research family histories and communicating with older members of their family.
So here we stand a more open inclusive society. The more conservative members of this country would like to go back in time. They are so afraid of losing--but losing what? What do they lose? What does same sex marriage take away from them? How does including all of our population diminish them? If pre World War II, German hadn’t excluded Jews, they would have developed the nuclear bomb first. How different would our lives be if the balance of power and knowledge had shifted away from us?